Where to stay in Zanzibar: the best beaches and hotels

Stone Town is Zanzibar's beating heart, a UNESCO-listed tangle of alleys too narrow for cars, where coral-stone mansions hide behind massive carved wooden doors and the call to prayer drifts over the rooftops. Wander past the Old Fort and the sultans' palaces, haggle in the bazaars, then join the crowds at Forodhani Gardens on the seafront, where a night market grills seafood as the sun goes down. Freddie Mercury was born here, and spice tours start from town.

Zanzibar Serena sits right on the seafront among the palaces and forts, and Park Hyatt Zanzibar sits on the beachfront in the heart of the old town. Jafferji House, on Gizenga Street, is a colonial-style boutique hotel and spa in a house built in 1912, and The Seyyida Hotel and Spa is another upscale base in the middle of the lanes. The town beach isn't for swimming holidays, so most people spend a night or two here, then move on to the coast.

Nungwi, at Zanzibar's northern tip, has a big advantage over the east coast: the tide here barely affects swimming, so you can wade into clear, deep water whenever you like. Add sunsets straight over the sea, a busy beach of bars and dive shops, and a traditional dhow-building village, and it's easy to see why it's the island's most popular resort.

Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort sits right on Nungwi Beach in almost 20 acres of tropical gardens. Essque Zalu is an intimate boutique hotel in a natural cove on the north-east side, with sea views from every suite. For something smaller, Samridhi Bustani Oasis has just 14 rooms set in gardens a two-minute walk from the sand, and My Blue is a beachfront resort with two pools and Kendwa Beach close by.

Just down the west coast from Nungwi, Kendwa shares its big advantages, water deep enough to swim in at any tide and the sun sinking straight into the sea, but with a wider, softer beach and a gentler mood. Days are for snorkelling trips and dhow cruises; evenings are for barefoot dinners on the sand, livened up by Kendwa Rocks' famous full-moon parties.

Gold Zanzibar Beach House & Spa is a polished retreat on the northern tip, and Elewana Kilindi is an adults-only beach lodge for couples who want serious privacy. Zuri Zanzibar adds a spa, a pool and a round-the-clock gym, while Kendwa Rocks is the sociable original, looking out to the lighthouse on Tumbatu Island. Stone Town is about an hour's drive south.

Kiwengwa, on the north-east coast, is resort country: a long, palm-fringed beach where the hotels sit directly on the sand, many of them with all-inclusive rates. The lagoon is protected by an offshore reef, so the water is calm, though like the rest of the east coast the tide goes out a long way.

Neptune Pwani is a five-star all-inclusive with 300 metres of private beach and architecture inspired by traditional Zanzibar style. Tikitam Palms is a colonial-style boutique hotel with a private beach and spa, and Kiwengwa Beach Resort and Tembo Kiwengwa are big, easy resort choices. Zanbluu is the antidote: 16 rooms and a villa on a quiet stretch.

Further up the north-east coast, Matemwe is quieter and more traditional, a strip of fine white sand where local women farm seaweed in the shallows and fishing boats head out at dawn. Offshore lies the Mnemba atoll, one of the best spots on the island for snorkelling and diving, with dolphins and turtles often seen.

Matemwe Sands has a gym, hammam and sauna alongside its beachfront rooms. SBH Kilindini is a waterfront resort with a pool and all-inclusive rates, and Alladin is a boutique beach hotel aimed at romantic, peaceful stays. AHG Sun Bay looks straight out to Mnemba from its white-sand beach.

Paje is the south-east coast's lively hub, a laid-back village with a sociable backpacker-meets-boutique scene. Its wide, shallow lagoon and steady winds make it one of the best kitesurfing spots in East Africa, and at low tide you can walk far out across the sand flats.

Jambo Resort is a beachfront hotel with a huge infinity pool and a large private beach. Kisiwa on the Beach has a spa and sits right on the sand, Kivuli Beach Resort is a few steps from Paje Beach, and Aluna Paje is a friendly, good-value choice 100 metres from the beach in the centre of the village.

South of Paje, Jambiani is a long, straggling fishing village with a dazzling beach, where the pace is slow and the main event is watching the tide come and go. It suits couples and solo travellers who want peace, local life and a hammock rather than a big resort.

Pili Pili is a small boutique hotel right on the white sand, with a rooftop for watching the ocean. Villa Bahati has individually designed rooms and a yoga space by the waves, and Spice Island Hotel & Resort, between Paje and Jambiani, has spacious apartments for families. Barabara House is a simple, friendly guesthouse a minute from the beach.

Bwejuu sits between Paje and the Michamvi peninsula on a long ribbon of white sand backed by palms. It's quieter than Paje but still within easy reach of its bars and kite schools, and the small fishing village is a short walk from the beach hotels.

Indigo Beach faces the lagoon near the village, about an hour's drive from the airport. Protels La Plage offers all-inclusive packages with direct beach access, and Baraza Resort & Spa is an all-inclusive with two pools, a spa and a private beach. Sea Side Beach Resort is a contemporary four-star on the sand.

Michamvi is a narrow peninsula at the top of the south-east coast, with the Indian Ocean on one side and Chwaka Bay on the other. That means something rare on this coast: sunsets over the water. It's secluded and romantic, with a handful of small hotels and very little else.

Jua Retreat is the ultimate hideaway, with just four rooms, each with its own pool and hot tub. Michamvi Sunset Bay has a spa and hosts weddings, while Upendo Beach and Kikoi Boutique Hotel are relaxed, stylish spots right by the ocean.